I posted this short story on my website. Some might enjoy it here … Bob’s Stanley #3 View Image I have a special fondness for the Stanley #3 handplane. I inherited my father-in-law’s English-made #3 at a time when I was still solidly into powertools, and so it disappeared into the back of a shelf. About 15 years ago, having built a new house, I was deep into attaching doors and using a noisy, messy, powered Makita plane to trim the edges, suffocating under the usual earmuffs and eye protection needed for this tool. At some stage the blades on the Makita became too blunt to use and, being a weekend, the store that stocked replacements was closed. Then I recalled the little #3 at the back of the shelf. I’d never used one before, and only had a general idea what to do with it. Indeed, my FIL had passed on several years before the #3 came to live with me, and so the blade had not been sharpened for a couple of decades. I must have done something right, or Bob was smiling and doing it for me, but the moment I place the sole on the edge of the door and pushed forward, I got this “schhhhiiiiiiikkkkkk”, and a long ribbon of wood appeared in the silence of the workshop, getting longer and longer as I pushed the plane forward. There is no way to forget that moment – it was the moment I turned away from powertools towards handtools. I was hooked! The #3 is smaller in the hand than a #4. It has a narrower blade than a #4 (1 3/4″ versus 2″). It is a more intimate plane that a #4. I just loved using this plane. Now here’s the embarrassing part. My confession is that I am a compulsive modifier, and have been ever since I could walk (so my parents tell me). I read about tuning planes. One of the tips was to file a chamfer inside the mouth to aid the flow of shavings. But I clearly misunderstood the directive … and filed the outside of the sole .. effectively opening the mouth! I didn’t recognise what I had done for a few years (as I only really used the plane on softwoods), until I became educated by Badger Pond. And then I felt awful! How could I have done this to Bob’s plane?! I never told anyone in the family. I very much doubt that they would have understood the issue anyway. Years went by with the #3 on the shelf again. Every now-and-then I searched eBay for another plane as a donor. A month ago I found one that was identical to Bob’s. I was not interested in a better #3. I just wanted the same English casting, one in the same condition – but the #3 is not easy to find … Onto the “new” base I placed Bob’s frog, blade, knob and tote. I sharpened the England-made blade for the first time in many years and ran it over a piece of Karri Pine. It went “Schhhhhhiiiiikkkkk”. I could swear that the jazz piece on the shop stereo became sweeter. Regards from Perth Derek
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Replies
I have to agree with you on the #3, I too have a PreWar #3 and love that little guy.
Great story, Derek. I am also partial to #3's.
-Jerry
Hi Derek, Love the story... Have just aquired a #3 of uncertain,but lengthy lineage. I have just started a refurb job on it and will post a shot or two when finished.
That lovely sound you describe makes me even more eager to finish it!
Robin.
I liked your story. I admit that I haven't achieved the same type of plane euphoria that you have experienced but I've gotten close to it with my slick. Applied properly to the cheek of a tenon, a sharp slick will slice through a 2" knot and leave it flush in one quick pass, slick! Also the sound it makes cutting through the knot, schhlllick.
I will work on my relationship with my planes.
So what are you going to do with Bob's sole, Derek?
EDIT: I don't know if the pun was intended or not. Probably not.
Hi Chris
I like that! :)
Actually, the plane's sole could use a little help. I think Bob would have approved.
He was a merchant seaman turned construction foreman, and worked on some huge, but isolated projects out in the African bush. Such as the Kariba Dam, which is between Zimbabwe and Zambia (middle of Africa). That is where he raised his family. My wife spent her early years out there. What you couldn't buy, you made yourself. I never met him - he died several years before I arrived on the scene. I'd like to think that we would have got along pretty well.
Regards from Perth
Derek
I have a old Stanely/Bailey #4.. It took little time to tune it. I like it's weight but I never saw a #3 so I do not know what I am talking about.
I 'think' I have all original parts and I have very liminted blade to mouth adjustment. Is it like it was made?
I have been collecting Stanley No. 3 planes for years. Clean and adjust all parts if needed and sharpen the blade. Using them is a joy and points me back to using hand tools all the time. One No.3 I put in a very sharp Hock blade. The result is shavings that curl tight and thin.
As a kid a Native American Indian built our house with all hand tools. His hourly wage was $1.00 per hour. The quality of work was superb. His rip saw was so sharp and he so strong that riping a board straight and true looked like cutting butter. He tuned his saws, chisels and planes before each day's work.
Today is Valentine's Day and
Today is Valentine's Day and also our wedding anniversary so my wife and I went out for lunch and some antique shopping this afternoon. The antique mall we went to is quite large and my wife soon disappeared. With Derek's story fresh in my mind I quickly took the opportunity to try to find a Stanley "3". I found a nice old "4" for $25. It was a little beat up but was all there and looked repair-able.
I fiddled with it a bit this evening. The iron was bent on one side of the slot but was easily straightened. I then ground the blade, honed the edge, reassembled it, clamped a scrap piece of cherry in the vice and then made that schhhhhhiiiiiikkkkk sound.
I'm not sure how it compares to the "3" but the "4" is a sweet little plane indeed. I'll have to finish the tune-up another time, back to my lovely bride.
AMEN, I snagged a #7 Jointer plane and a #3 was included in the deal. I love my little #3!
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